Aust Fossil Collecting and Geological Guide to Aust and thousands of photos

Fossils and fossil collecting in
Castleton, Derbyshire
Location summary information for collecting fossils in Castleton, Derbyshire

Castleton

Castleton has long been known for its Carboniferous limestone, its caves and for the Blue John semi-precious stone mined here. Now owned by the National trust and is designated an SSSI, unfortunately this means that fossils can only be observed and must not be collected.

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Location Information
	Rock outcrops contain limestone reef fossils such as crinoid parts, brachiopods and corals. There are also loose rocks, some of which contain fossils. Small pieces of Blue John stone are sometimes found.
	(Suitable for Children) This is a fair walk with some steep areas. The two caves encountered en-route provide excellent stop-off points however, and are guaranteed to impress all who enter.
	The route follows a public footpath. In some places there are steep steps and rises in the path but these should be easily tackled by anyone of moderate fitness. The rock outcrops are to be found a little distance from the path, in some cases with a fairly steep gradient in between.
	Rock Outcrop Scree Fossiliferous rocks are found loose and also as outcrops above the path. Blue John is found in small pieces within the path itself and loose in areas where soil is exposed.
ACCESS RIGHTS	SSSI There is a public footpath to follow. Rocks and fossils may be observed but collecting is prohibited.

Grid Reference

British National Grid	SK 12732 83752
Degrees	53.35049°N, 1.81019°W

! IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES !

This is generally a safe location. Some parts of the path are fairly steep and in wet conditions are liable to become muddy. Good walking boots or wellies are recommended. In some places a mobile phone signal may be lost.

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